Ringing The Changes And Staying The Same....

A return to an old favourite and a visit to a new cycling-themed bar, both situated in Halifax, followed by a trip out to a micro pub situated in a market hall a few miles away up the Calder Valley....

Situated on Powell Street in Halifax town centre opposite the Victoria Theatre, the Victorian Craft Beer Cafe (opening image) or simply the Vic or VCBC for short was the first of the modern craft bars in the town when it welcomed its first drinkers back in 2014. Opened by Simon and his wife, Pang, it seems incredible but the Halifax beer drinking scene it joined was so different then to what it is now. The town centre pubs at that time were by and large traditional drinking houses, lager-driven sports bars, or cheap late night venues, and whilst there was some real ale to be found, most discerning drinkers would head a little further out of town to the likes of the Three Pigeons, the Cross Keys in Siddal, or the Big Six in King Cross.

Victorian Craft Beer Cafe, Halifax

The Vic brought something different to the town centre. There was a range of cask ales sourced from a variety of different breweries, including many that had never been seen in the town before, and for the first time for the town, a range of the keg beers much beloved by city hipster types. Not only that but the decor was cosy, with dark wood, dark walls, leather seating, dark wood tables, white tiling, with subdued lighting and candles, and loads of little nooks and crannies in each which you could hide away for a chat, or a quiet pint and a read the paper. Old books lined shelves and old photos from bygone days gave a distinct retro feel to the bar. It looked like it had been here for years. If you wanted a decent cup of coffee, you could get one, or you could snack on a pork pie if you were feeling peckish. Back then, it was not what you expected to find in Halifax.

And back to the beer. Two of my all-time best pints ever have been enjoyed at the Vic: a cool, refreshing Pale Armadillo from Tempest Brewing one sunny Saturday lunchtime before football, and the delicious citrussy delights of a first-ever pint of Zero Zero from Arbor, the beer's glorious orange murk provoking much discussion in those less enlightened times when I shared a photo of my pint on social media. And whilst I certainly didn't have my first keg beer here, it is fair to say that the Vic has contributed to my appreciation of it. Dark beers have always been a big part of the offer, with the bar's annual Back to Black beer festival welcomed by lovers of the dark arts. And over the years many interesting (and often very strong) beers from overseas have made an appearance, whilst all the time the Vic has maintained an unwavering commitment to featuring cask beers from a wide range of breweries up and down the country, served from 9 hand pumps, plus keg beers from a total of 18 lines.

Beer board at the Vic

Over the years, plenty of changes have been made to the building. Unused areas have been opened up allowing space for more customers. When the Vic first opened the rather cramped toilets were on the ground floor; these were eventually moved into the cellar downstairs, offering palatial comfort by comparison, and extending the room in which the bar is situated. A small area at the end of the building was extended by knocking through into a former storeroom, whilst a comfortable additional seating area was opened up above where the toilets had been moved, with exposed brickwork adding a new dimension to the house style. And last year, the space occupied by the former Middle Bar next door was acquired and now provides another two distinct areas of seating. Essentially though, the Vic retains much of the same look and ambience it has always had, all these new areas being seamlessly assimilated into the bar's overall style.

Simon and Pang continue to divide their time between Yorkshire and her native Thailand, leaving the bar in the capable hands of Tom, who, like many of the team has worked here for several years, adding to the air of continuity and stability. Since the Vic opened in 2014, the town centre scene has changed immeasurably with several other bars opening up, each with their own distinct personality, but it can always claim to be the first, whilst never standing still. It may look similar when you walk in the bar, but there is more of it now, and as the place approaches its 10th anniversary later this year it continues to play a big part in the town's social scene.

Meanwhile. a few streets away from the Vic a new bar has opened recently in Halifax town centre, based in the premises of a former toy shop and more recently the former Good Mood bar. It is called MAMIL which, for those who don't know, is an acronym for Middle Aged Men In Lycra, often used as a somewhat dismissive and disparaging name for the older gentleman who dons the often unflattering stretch wear as they return to the bike saddle for the first time since they rode a Raleigh Chopper or BMX in the misty years of their youth. To be fair to those guys, despite the hilly terrain, there is a strong cycling community within Calderdale with several long-standing local groups in existence. The Tour de France created a massive buzz when it came to Calderdale in 2014, whilst subsequently the Tour de Yorkshire visited the area a couple of times, and prior to that Sky Sports had featured street racing around Brighouse town centre.

Tour De Yorkshire starting from Halifax Piece Hall

And based on my 20-odd years living in Brighouse, there is a strong link between the cycling community and real ale; the local club used to meet at the Red Rooster just outside the town centre and call at various other pubs in the area in the middle of or at the end of their trips around the tops of the Calder Valley and beyond, a thirst worked up that could only be quenched by several pints of the best real ale. I still regularly see some of the guys in and around the pubs in the town.

And it was in Brighouse that MAMIL first appeared, just after lockdown. They took over the premises previously occupied by Ventures, and set it up with a workshop for cycle repairs along with a cafe bar during the day that sold beer later on. And it has been a success, with cyclists taking advantage of its canalside location to call in for a drink, whilst the non-cycling community has enjoyed its relaxed and chilled vibe which flits effortlessly between daytime cafe and cool evening vibes. 

MAMIL in Halifax opened a few weeks ago but this last weekend was the first time I'd had chance to visit. It has retained much of the bare brick walls of its previous incarnation and the bar is still in the same place, but the walls feature many references to cycling, and there are even a few bikes displayed on the walls. I called in first last Saturday, early evening. It was quiet, but a few of the Halifax town centre drinking circuit guys were in attendance. I ordered a half of Bread & Butter off one of the two hand pumps, and it was in excellent condition (NBSS 3.5). Like the bulk of the beer offer, with several more available on the taps, it is brewed by Vocation Brewery at their hillside location high above the Calder Valley, their beers also featuring at the MAMIL bar in Brighouse. And I was back again a couple of days later. With some time to kill while my car was having its MOT, I popped in on a wet Monday afternoon where I found more people than the Saturday evening, a group of ladies, a few solitary guys clicking on the keys of their laptop, or reading a book, and the odd bag-laden shopper in need of refreshment. Their was a decent soundtrack playing unobtrusively in the background whilst the friendly young staff responded politely and quickly when an order came in. The tea I had as I scrolled through my phone was spot on (NTSS 3.5), which in my experience is not often the case. Based on these two visits at different times of the day and week, MAMIL is a welcome and different addition to the Halifax town centre scene.

Meanwhile, a few miles to the west of Halifax up the Calder Valley, there has been a micro pub in Todmorden indoor market for a few years now. In fact, the appropriately-monikered Market Tavern first opened a few months before lockdown in 2019, but I have to admit that I only became aware of its existence fairly recently. And with the bar's opening hours naturally limited by the hours that the market is operating, it has never been available to visit when I have made one of my recent visits to the town that lies close to the border between West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, and Lancashire. 

So when I read recently that it had been chosen as Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA's Pub of the Season, I took the opportunity of a couple of spare hours last Saturday lunchtime to get the train up the valley to Tod to check the place out. My original train was cancelled, so my time window was reduced, but fortunately the market is close to the station, to the rear of the town hall and opposite the Polished Knob.

Todmorden Market Hall (spot the hi-viz jacket)

The indoor market hall lies behind a few rows of outdoor stalls, decked out in contrasting coloured stripes selling goods ranging from large loaves of sourdough to bright orange hi-viz jackets. I walked past these and through the entrance into the market, several degrees warmer than the blustery conditions outside. Here was a mixture of stalls and cafes, and unlike most markets you visit these days, most slots seemed to be occupied. I soon spotted a hanging sign above a gangway advertising the Pub of the Season, beside which was the Market Tavern, with a simpler, more basic sign saying 'Pub' on the side, situated across from a Mediterranean foods emporium. A few chairs were positioned outside in the gangway, with a shelf for glasses running down below an open window. Hanging baskets and an England scarf added to the outside accoutrements, with a few barrels outside what was presumably the cellar. 

I walked into the small open-sided room. Tables and seating lined both sides, with the bar at one end. Three hand pumps were on the bar, featuring two beers from Burnley's Reedley Hallows Brewery and one from Red Rose Brewery, based in Ramsbottom, both breweries that don't seem to get any further from their Lancashire homes into Yorkshire than Tod. The Red Rose was a dark beer, whilst there was Nook of Pendle, a 5% amber ale from Reedley Hallows along with a 4% pale called Pendleside, which is the one I went for. There were a couple of older guys at the bar, chatting to a cheerful bloke behind the bar who introduced himself as the landlord's brother, plus a few guys and a couple of ladies all of middle age, with a couple, including one in a mobility scooter sat at the side of the bar in the gangway. The beer was good too, refreshing and well-balanced (NBSS 3.5). 

There was a nice welcoming atmosphere to the Market Tavern and I can certainly recommend calling in if you are in the area. Just remember though that like other market-based micropubs like Cob and Coal in Oldham, the Bob Inn in Chorley, and One For The Road in Bolton, all of which I have visited fairly recently, opening hours are restricted to when the market in which they are situated is open.

So three different places, but all worth popping in to have a look yourself if you get chance....

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